


Second Chances

by phai6688



Category: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto
Genre: Angst, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-16
Updated: 2019-01-15
Packaged: 2019-05-23 22:33:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14942612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phai6688/pseuds/phai6688
Summary: Adult Boruto travels back in time to save the Hidden Leaf from destruction. There's a big problem... he miscalculates and arrives several years too soon.Naruto is a lonely, neglected boy longing for family.When they both meet, they discover how much they need each other. But Boruto is changing the timeline. So much, that his own existence could be jeopardized. ON HAITUS UNTIL SUMMER 2019!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Boruto and/or Naruto. I'm just a fan, trying to share my what's been on my mind for so long.
> 
> Also... I don't have a beta! Read at your own risk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some minor edits in this chapter.

Naruto kicked a wayward can and felt a tiny curl of satisfaction when the sound of it crashing against the wall broke the stillness of the night air. He hoped someone would come out and yell at him. Maybe they would wonder why a little a kid was out alone at this time of night. Or maybe, just taking one look at his face and at the whisker-like scars on his face, they would know and leave him alone. He found more cans and kicked them as hard as he could, the noise getting louder and louder. 

Then, an even louder bang interrupted his movements. Naruto stopped, reflexively cringing and ducking his head. When nothing hit him, he slowly unraveled his body and looked around for the source of the noise. He heard a groan from somewhere to his left. Naruto gulped and took a step back. Then, he remembered that everyone was scared of him. It was probably one of the drunk grandpas and he'd curse Naruto out as soon as he saw him. 

Bracing himself with clenched fists and jaw, Naruto stomped towards the source of the noise. 

"Hey-- what are you...oh." It wasn't an old, drunk grandpa, but a young man with messy blonde hair. And he looked hurt. 

Naruto rushed to the prone figure but didn't know what to do. His laid his hands on the man's shoulders and tried to shake him awake. The man didn't open his eyes. Naruto bit his lip and looked around. Of course, no one was around to help. No one was ever around when he actually needed help. Or when he cried himself to sleep and prayed for a kind soul to care about him. 

"Hey, mister, you gotta get up." Naruto kept repeating over and over again until the man blinked his blue eyes open. 

"Hey! You're alive!" Naruto clapped his hands as if the man had achieved a difficult milestone. 

"Where... where am I? What?" The man squinted up at boy. "Who are you?"

Naruto frowned and crossed his arms. "I'm the one asking questions here! Who are you?"

"I'm--I'm gonna be sick," the man groaned. 

"What kind of name is that?" Naruto said dumbly before the man turned his head and vomitted onto the street. 

"Eww!" 

The man only groaned again. The man slumped onto the floor again and closed his eyes. 

Naruto shook him by the arms. "Hey, mister, where do you live? I can take you home or something." Maybe the man would give him some food or even money as a thank you.

The man groaned again. "I'm hurt. My body... it's so painful."

"Just tell me where you live and you can sleep in your bed." The man continued muttering but Naruto couldn't understand a word he said. Something about Hidden Leaf. Well, duh, they were in the Hidden Leaf. 

Naruto sighed and stood up. He would just have to take the man to his place. There was nothing there for anyone to steal and he doubted the man was strong enough to hurt him. Tomorrow, he would kick the man out and ask for his reward. 

"C'mon, mister, stand up and walk!" Naruto pulled at the muscular arm. After a lot of pulling and huffing, he got the man to stand up on shaky legs and lean on Naruto's much smaller and weaker shoulders. "Ugh, you're so heavy!" Naruto complained as he led the other man towards his apartment building. Thankfully, it wasn't far.

By the time Naruto and his new "friend" arrived at his door, he was sweaty and irritated. At least, the man seemed more awake and was able to carry more of his weight when they had to climb the stairs. He set the man against the wall and took out his keys attached to his favorite frog wallet.

"Look, it's not much. But I'm guessing you don't care about anything now." Naruto flung open his door and watched as the man took a couple of tentative steps into the apartment. In the middle of the living room/kitchen/bedroom area, the man stopped, looked around, then crumpled on the floor. Naruto sighed. 

He locked the door behind him and moved to get a worn blanket and pillow. He made sure his guest was as comfortable as possible on the floor before he moving to the bathroom to change out of his sweaty clothes. He felt a little shy doing that in front of a stranger, even if he was unconscious. 

Later, Naruto sat up in bed, staring at the stranger as he slept. He kind of looked like Naruto, the boy decided. They had the same hair color and the eyes, too, he thought. But his skin was lighter. And he had a long scar over his right eye as if someone tried to take his eye out or something. Even with all scar, the man looked... refined. There was something about his face and look that reminded Naruto of the richer, entitled head clan members of the Hidden Leaf. They had the same look this man had: there was something clean and haughty about them. 

Well, Naruto leaned back onto his pillow, the hated demon brat saved a rich person's life. He smirked as he went to sleep, dreaming of the endless amounts of candy and ramen.

The sun's shinning rays on his face woke up Naruto. He blinked and rubbed his tired eyes. Today, he had to go to school. He had a test! Naruto frowned and considered skipping today. He hated tests, he just didn't understand the material at all. His teachers never cared about answering his questions, even if he asked them politely (well, as politely as he could). But he couldn't skip anymore days, or else someone from the school would try and come and find him. Naruto could feel himself blushing from the memory of the disgusted look one of his teachers threw at him from where he stood on the doorway to his apartment. He didn't step inside, just told Naruto to get his stuff together and go to school. 

"Why a thing like you needs an education is anyone's guess. But I guess it's the law," his teacher sniffed.

The door opened and closed behind him, interrupting his thoughts. It sounded like someone stepped into the bathroom. Naruto tensed and snapped his head to the side. The man was missing! He sat up. In the light of day, it seemed a little strange and dangerous to have brought a stranger home. Naruto saw the discarded blanket and the pillow on the floor. A few seconds later, he heard the shower turn on. He frowned. He hoped the man wouldn't use up all his hot water. 

Naruto stood up and made the bed, not knowing what else to do. He picked up and put away the blanket and the pillow in a closet, then headed towards the kitchen to heat up some hot water for his ramen breakfast. He was slurping his noodles when the man emerged from the bathroom, a cloud of steam behind him. 

"Hey, you used up all my hot water, teme!" Naruto said in greeting. 

The man frowned at him in confusion. "I have to shower, too, dattebayo!" Naruto wanted to smack the dazed look out of the man's face. Now, he had to shower with cold water, then take a test. Great. 

"Sorry, I didn't know. Where am I?" The man had a smooth, deep voice that managed to calm Naruto. The boy returned to his ramen with a shrug. 

"You're in my apartment, teme. In the Hidden Leaf," since Naruto remembered that the man was muttering about that last night.

"Oh," the man blinked and made a small circle as he took in the apartment. Naruto tensed up, expecting to hear some cutting remark come out of his mouth next. "And who are you?" Blue eyes focused on the young boy in front of them.

Naruto blinked. "I'm Uzamaki Naruto, dattebayo!" He puffed out his chest. 

The man actually took a step back, and his skin got even whiter than it was. Naruto frowned at him and pushed away his empty ramen cup. "Are you going to throw up again, mister?"

"No, no, I'm ok. I can't believe it worked." He thought he heard the man say. 

"You can't believe what worked?" Naruto asked.

The man waved a shaky hand. "Nothing, nothing. So, Naruto," the man said his name slowly as if tasting it in his mouth.

"Yeah?"

"What year is it? I mean, how old are you?"

"You're not a creepy pervert, are you?" Naruto jumped to his feet. 

The man looked shocked. "No, no! Eww! Just answer the question. How old are you?"

"Fine, teme! I'm eight." When he heard the answer, the man had to lean against a wall and breath deeply. 

"Listen, mister, I have to go to school. But you don't look good." Naurto bit his lip. He couldn't kick this mister out when he still looked so sick. Plus, he was kind of entertaining. 

"Right, you have school. Because you're eight!" The man laughed a little.

"Mister, do you live around here? I guess you can go home now." Naruto put away his bowl in the sink and stretched. 

"I'm not from here. So, I can't go home," he said sadly. 

Naruto felt bad. He fidgeted as he watched the man close his eyes and lean his head back on the wall. "You can stay here. Until you find a place. Only for like a day or two, ok?"

The man opened his eyes and his gaze took in the nervous looking boy. He smiled. "You're so nice. Thank you."

Naruto blushed and cleared his throat. "Whatever, teme. I have to get ready." He went to the shower to get shower with the cold water. 

Naruto came out of the bathroom, shivering and dressed in his usual orange outfit. This was his last clean one, he had to do some laundry later on today. 

The man was sitting on a chair in his kitchen, sipping on a bowl of ramen. Naruto scowled, it was one his favorite pork ones!

"Sorry, this was the only thing you had left." The man smiled at Naruto's expression. 

And he had to go grocery shopping. 

"Whatever, mister teme. I'll be back soon!" Maybe even sooner if Naruto managed to get himself kicked out of class before he took the test. 

As he jogged to school, it was a little weird to have someone at home. Even if that someone was a slightly crazy and creepy stranger. 

At school, Naruto managed to pull off a prank that got him kicked out of class but instead of being sent home, he was sent to the principal's office. The principal gave Naruto a talk about rising above his unfortunate background, whatever that meant, before he sent Naruto back to class, just in time for the test. Which he failed. He knew that because he only put his name on the test and took a nap while everyone else worked on theirs. 

At lunch, he sat alone-- throwing a rock into the river. He forgot to pack another ramen packet, so he sat in his afternoon classes with a growling stomach. He was kicked out again for sleeping in class and took another nap on the hard chair outside of the principal's office as he waited for the man to show up. He was one of the first students, though, to run out of the school building when it was time to leave. Usually, he was one of the last. 

He didn't have money to stop and get some ramen at the Ramen Place, he needed to save his change for grocery shopping. 

Naruto paused outside of his door and listened. He couldn't hear anything. His shoulders slumped. Maybe the man had left, it would have been nice to have some company after the crappy day he had. Naruto sighed and opened his door. Immediately, the aroma of cooked stew wafted up on his nose. He had to close his eyes and take a deep breath. 

"Oh hey, Da--uh-- Naruto-kun!" The man laughed awkwardly from where he had been setting the table. 

"Wow!" Naruto said as he shut the door. His table had more food on it than he had ever seen before (except in grocery stores). He tore his eyes away from the rice and salad bowls before staring at the rest of the apartment. The man had been busy today! His apartment was practically sparkling with cleanliness. The walls looked extra white, his floor shined, and he could smell his clean clothes from where he stood near the doorway and could see the rest of them hanging on the drying line from his window. 

"I just wanted to thank you for everything!" The man spread his arms out. "Also, I didn't realize you didn't have a washing machine, anywhere, so I had to do your laundry by hand. I hope you're grateful!" The man gave him a sweet smile. 

Naruto frowned again. He forgot that this man was teme. "What's for dinner, mister teme?"

The man frowned. "Pork stew."

"Wow!" Naruto practically salivated at the thought of eating something so delicious. "But where you get the money?"

The man shrugged. "I had some on me. And I had to sell a couple of things. I guess I should get a job or something, soon, though."

Naruto shrugged and sat down at his table. "I'm so hungry!"

He reached out one of the rice bowls, then the man smacked his hand away. "Go wash up. You can't eat with dirty hands." Was the stern reply. 

Naruto pouted but stood up and ran to the bathroom. He had cleaned there, too. In the bathroom, Naruto noticed that his cheeks were hurting. It was because of the big smile on his face. He tried to put it away, he didn't want the teme to get too full of himself. And he would probably leave soon after he got a job. Who would want to hang around a kid like him? That dimmed his smile a lot. 

But he would enjoy what he could with this mister.

At the table, Naruto jammed the food into his mouth as quickly as he could. His guest stared at him as he sediately ate his meal. 

"It's like you didn't eat all day," he muttered. 

"I didn't, except for breakfast," Naruto said between bites. "This is delicious, Mister teme! Thank you!"

"I guess you should call me something else. My name is Boru."

"I like Mister teme better," Naruto grinned cheekily. 

"Why you little!" But Boru smiled, almost fondly at Naruto. The boy squirmed in his seat. He had never been the recipient of such a look. "How was your day, Naurto?"

Immediate hunger sated, Naruto was able to respond. "It was terrible! I got kicked out of class twice, failed my test, and forgot to pack ramen for lunch."

"Don't talk with your mouth full. Ramen again for lunch?" Boru swallowed his food and patted the corners of his mouth with a napkin before speaking. Naruto did his best to copy his movements. 

"Yeah, it's my favorite food. And it's cheap." Naruto shrugged. 

Boru sighed. "I got some healthy things. I got more ramen, too, knowing that you like it so much."

Naruto glanced at the new packets of ramen. He swallowed before speaking. "You didn't have to Mister Teme, but thanks!"

"Boru!" The man gently scolded him. 

After dinner, Naruto cleaned up. His stomach felt full and he was satisfied and warm for the first time in a long while. His satisfication was cut short at the next words Boru said. 

"Ok, I guess you need to get your homework done? You get homework, right?" Boru looked expectantly at the shocked boy. 

"Y-yeah but I don't do it," Naruto stammered. "I don't like homework."

"Has anyone ever helped you on you homework before?" Boru asked. 

"N-no, my teachers don't like answering my questions." Or talking to him at all. 

"I'm here to help you out today. Why don't you take your homework and we can work on it together? Afterwards, you can show me around the village?" 

Naruto was so surprised at the request that he meekly got his homework out from his school bag that he had thrown on the floor along with his shoes before entering his apartment. He had some math and reading homework, his worst subjects. As he opened up the scrolls, Boru's choice of words kept replaying over and over in his head. He said "today." That means that tomorrow Boru might be gone. 

"Why do we need to know math if we want to become ninjas, anyways?" Naruto grumbled as he stared at the the numbers, trying to understand what he needed to do. 

"You have to know about angles, permieters and risk assessments, which all involve math. And I see that you don't know what any of that is." Boru sighed. "Can you do problem #1?"

"No."

"What about #2?"

"No."

"Are there any problems that you know how to do?"

"Listen, I don't do my homework anyways. You don't need to..." Naruto stood up but Boru held up a hand. 

"It's ok. I just wanted to know what you know already."

"That's easy, nothing. I'm the deadlast of the class." Naruto said these things with no emotions, in a matter of fact manner. 

"You won't be deadlast for long. Let's do number 1."

After an excruciating 2 hours of homework and tutoring, Naruto finally finished. He jumped up from the table, he felt like he had been freed from the hands of a really skilled torturer. "Are we going? Can we go now?" He asked Boru eagerly. 

"Sure, what are you doing to show me?" Boru shrugged on his black jacket that he had hung up to dry. 

Naruto's answer was instant. "I'll show you the Ramen Place!"

Boru groaned. "Is that all you can think about?"

"Sometimes," Naruto shrugged. He leaned forward and grabbed the man by his hand. "C'mon!"


	2. Chapter 2

As they walked out of his apartment building, Naruto noticed that Boru didn't pull his hand away. Naruto still pulled at the large, calloused hand but if he slowed down and pushed his own hand further into Boru's palm...

"This neighborhood isn't very safe for a young boy like you." Boru was frowning at the half dressed women on the corner. 

"It's ok. No one bothers me."

"And you live alone?" Boru asked in a weird voice. 

"Yeah, it's great! No curfews, I can do whatever I want." He tried to keep his voice upbeat and happy. 

"Maybe we should have a curfew tonight. What time should little boys go asleep?" Boru teased lightly. 

"Hey! I'm not a little boy! I'm almost nine!" Naruto finally did it! He was holding Boru's hand. The man didn't even seem to care, he only tightened his grip around the little hand in his. 

"Look, it's the Ramen Place!" Feeling too many happy emotions in his tiny body, Naruto shook his hand free and ran ahead into the shop. 

"Naruto, my boy, how are you?" The restaurant owner smiled at him.

"Hi, Ichiraku-san!" Naruto bow happily.

"Getting your usual."

"Yeah, but make it two. I brought a friend." He gestured to Boru who looked around the shop curiously. 

"Greetings," Boru said warmly. 

"Oh, greetings," Ichiraku said a little cooly. 

Naruto and Boru sat down on the stools. "It looks so small," Boru said. 

"But the ramen is very good here!" Naruto exclaimed. "I always come here."

"Naruto, who's your friend here?" Ichiraku asked as he poured the ramen into two identical bowls. 

Before Naruto could open his mouth to explain, Boru placed a warm hand on his arm. "I'm visiting from another village. My name is Boru."

Unable to stay quiet, Naruto added, "I found him last night. He was drunk."

"Naruto!" Boru hissed at him. 

The boy blinked. "What? I think you were drunk, that's why you threw up and stuff."

Ichiraku laughed uneasily. "Naruto, what business do you have around grown, drunk men?"

Feeling a change in the air, Naruto tried to make the conversation better. "Well, Boru-teme is staying with me for a few days until he gets a job. He helped me with my homework and made me food and cleaned my clothes."

"Wow, you sure have loose lips," Boru chuckled, nervously scratching his head. 

"Here are your ramen, Naruto's favorite." He placed them before 2 and watched them eat. 

"It's good, right, Boru?" Naruto stopped eating to look at the man. 

Boru swallowed, then nodded. "It's excellent, the taste hasn't changed at all."

"Sometimes, you say weird things, Boru-teme." Naruto shrugged. 

Stuffed, Naruto watched with round blue eyes as Boru placed some coins on the counter. Naruto swore that he could feel a chill, despite the warm, humid air, from the look at Ichiraku-san threw at Boru. 

"Naurto, can you wait for your friend outside? I just want to ask him a question."

Naruto frowned. "Why can't you ask him in front of me?"

"Naruto, wait for me outside," Boru commanded softly but sternly. Naruto pouted but moved outside the little shop. He couldn't hear what the two men said but he could tell that both men were unhappy with each other. A few minutes later, Boru stomped outside but managed a warm smile for the boy. Naruto beamed up at him.

"Did you like Ickiraku's?"

"Of course! Thanks for taking me. Now, it's getting late." Boru looked up at the sky. 

Naruto glanced at his watch. "It's only eight."

"Exactly. At your age, I was in bed by 9. And you have school tomorrow."

"But, I'm not sleepy!" Naruto knew that he was whining like a little baby, but he couldn't help himself. 

Boru grinned, his blue eyes shining. "I'll make you a tea my mom used to make for me. It'd knock me right out, night after night." 

That's how Naruto found himself in bed, not even an hour later, sipping a warm, herby tea from one of his chipped mugs. He felt his eyes get heavier. Someone took the mug from his slack grip and pulled up the covers. 

Naruto grabbed a muscular, strong arm with his small hand. "Will you be here tomorrow?" He asked. 

"Yes, I will be." Was the immediately answer. Naruto fell asleep. 

The next morning, Boru made them breakfast and walked Naruto to school. 

"You didn't have to come. I'm not a baby." Naruto kicked at a stick on the road. 

"I might as well come along. I have to go and find a job somewhere," Boru explained. 

"Oh, what type of job are you getting?"

"Something that pays enough to get a nice place in a better neighborhood."

"Oh," Naruto looked down at the unpaved road. He knew that Boru was a temporary company, so what was this weird pain in his chest?

Suddenly, Boru stopped. "I don't think it's a good idea for me to go any further. I'll watch you from here, Naruto."

Naruto ran ahead and waved behind him. Right before walking into the school building, he turned around and caught a glimpse of Boru's black jacket from where he had left the man. The boy grinned and ran inside.

Naruto ate his lunch by himself as usual. This time, the noises and chatter of his classmates didn't bother him as much. Boru packed him a ramen cup, per Naurto's insistence, but he also put some fruits in his bag. Naruto was bitting into his apple when he noticed another figure eating by himself, Sasuke. For the raven haired boy, his solitude was a choice. Naruto noticed a nearby table stealing glances at the boy and sighing and giggling. Sasuke didn't seem to notice that they were even there. He just glared into his bento. 

Not even Sasuke could ruin his mood, Naruto decided as he bit another juicy piece. 

Naruto practically skipped home. His day was much better than yesterday's. His teachers and classmates were shocked that he had done his homework and done it well. For the first time, he got a sticker next to his name! Also, more homework but maybe Boru could help. He actually raised his hand in class and got the right answer! Maybe this curfew stuff had its perks. 

Opening the door, Naruto was greeted by a sight that was quickly becoming dear to him: Boru stirring something delicious on the stove. 

"Hey, Naruto!" The man grinned.

"Teme!" The boy closed the door, threw off his shoes and bookbag, then threw his arms around the man's waist. It was for only a second, then he pulled away with a warm feeling in his heart. He hadn't given the man chance to even respond as he stood there with his arms raised, spatula in hand.

"Wow, good day?" Boru asked.

"Yeah, I got a sticker next to my name, today!" Naruto grinned with head ducked down. 

Boru raised an eyebrow. "Wow! Definitely calls for a celebration. Maybe ice cream after homework."

Naruto didn't know if he should cringe at the sound of homework or smile at the mention of ice cream, so he settled for jumping around Boru. "Ok! My favorite flavor is vanilla, dattebayo!"

Boru laughed and served dinner. 

"Did you find a job?" Naruto asked between bites of the fish and rice dish. 

Boru nodded. "Yes, I'm going to be a ... secretary! To the chief ninjas."

"Aren't secretaries girls?" Naruto asked very innocently with a smile.

"Hey! That's a stereotype, and I ... couldn't find anything else." Boru sighed tiredly. 

"I think it's great," Naruto tried to be helpful. 

"Thanks. The salary is pretty good. I'm already looking at some places, some nice places," Boru gestured at the view out of the window.

"Oh, when will you leave?" Naruto asked in a small voice.

"Soon. Hopefully, next week. Exciting, huh?" Boru grinned. 

"Yeah," Naruto squared his shoulders. He had one week with Boru. He was going to enjoy it. "Let's do this homework thing, then get ice cream, Boru-san!"

"Wow, kids really do do anything for ice cream!" Boru smiled. 

The week was the best one of Naruto's life. Everynight, he had someone to greet him when he got home from school and had a hot meal ready for him to enjoy. Boru walked with him to school, then went off to work. He made it back before Naruto and managed to get dinner started. 

"Where you learn to cook, anways?" Naruto asked one night. 

Boru looked away from the boy. "From my mom. She was the best. My Dad was working a lot, so I had to help her with things around the house."

"Where's your Mom? Back home?"

Boru flinched as if struck with something. Naruto stood up and looked around his small apartment, wondering if someone broke in. 

"No, she's dead. Both my parents are dead. I'm sorry, Naruto, I'll be right back." Boru went out without looking at the boy. Naruto felt a lump in his throat. He never had parents, so he didn't understand what it meant to lose them, but he had the feeling that he would get a taste of it once Boru moved out.

That night, Boru had his first nightmare. Naruto shot up in bed when he heard a frightening, animalistic scream tear through the air. 

In the darkness of his bedroom/kitchen/living room, Naruto could make out Boru's long form withering on the floor. Another scream tore through the air, making Naruto's heart race. He lifted his hands to cover his ears, his eyes not leaving Boru's tense form. 

When it became quiet again, Naruto padded over to Boru but remained standing over him. Should he wake the man up? 

In the weekend, Boru took Naruto to see his new place. "It's awesome! It has 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, a nice kitchen, an actual living room." Boru chatted to a silent Naruto. "Hey, what's wrong, gaki?"

Naruto shrugged. "Nothing."

"You don't want to move? Is that it?" Boru stopped and kneeled in front of the boy. "I know it's scary, but you can't keep living in that neighborhood. It's not safe for a boy your age. And it's so far from your school--"

"What!!??" Naruto screamed. 

Boru covered his ears. "Watch it, Naruto!"

"Sorry, you mean I get to go with you?" Naruto put his hands on Boru's broad shoulders and peered into his now familiar blue eyes.

"Of course!" Boru looked surprised. "We're a team, I thought you knew that. Of course, if you don't want to--oof." Boru released the hair from his chest when Naruto threw himself into his arms. 

"Yes! Yes! I want to live with you, Boru-san." He placed a quick kiss on the man's clean shaven cheek. 

"I'm glad, Naruto. I want to live with you, too." He wrapped his arms around the boy, and they stayed at way for a few minutes, just enjoying each other's company and comfort.

 

Happily, the pair walked up to the new apartment building, hand in hand until the land owner saw who was little boy her new tenenent would bring to live with him. 

"Absolutely not! I will not have that demon living here!" The woman practically shouted as soon as she saw Naruto. The boy ducked behind Boru's body. 

"Ma'am, please keep your voice down. Naruto is a little boy, just like any other boy." Boru kept his voice calm and even, even though Naruto could feel the tension coil in his body. 

"No, he's has a demon inside of him. I was there, eight years ago. No way, am I having that here!" The woman screamed as she pointed at Naruto's hiding figure. 

"Naruto, walk away please. I have something to stay to this... lady," Boru said through gritted teeth. 

Naruto moved away, but he was still close enough to hear what Boruto was saying. "You are a disgraceful piece of human shit! That's a little boy that you just insulted and turned away. A boy without a family, a real home, or even decent food. He had nothing to do with that happened eight years ago. Wait, no, I'm wrong. He had everything to do with it! He's the only reasons why you, me, this village, and your precious apartment building are still here! Fuck you for your hatred, and fuck you for treating a hero like that."

Naruto had to wipe his eyes after Boru finished and stalked towards him. Without words, he threw himself into Boru's arms and started sobbing. 

"Naru-kun, it's ok, it's ok." Boru patted him gently on his shaking back. He threw one more hot glare to the shaken owner before walking away with the boy in his arms. 

"We'll find another place, a better place." He cradled the child to his chest. 

That night, Naruto clung to Boru who felt so bad about the incident that he indulged Naruto's every whim, even having ramen for lunch and dinner. Boru laid back on Naruto's bed as the exhausted and red eyed boy continued to cry silently on his chest. Boru patted his head and back with stressed but gentle movements. 

"Naru-kun, you can't continue like this. You'll make yourself sick! I know that lady upset you but..."

"No," Naruto sniffed and shocked his head. "That's not why. It was you."

Silence. Then Baru spoke, his voice heavy with shame. "I know the language I used was inappropriate and foul. If you don't want to--"

"No! That's no it either," Naruto pulled his head up and tried to speak clearly through his congested nose. "No one's ever said that about me. No one's ever said anything nice about me or defended me like that. Or, wanted me to live with them in a nice place. Or, helped me with my homework or made me food. It's all so nice!" Naruto could feel his well up again with tears. 

"Then why are you so upset?" Boru wiped his tears away. 

"I thought this was for only a week. Now, you're saying you want me to live with you. What does that mean, Boru-san?" Naruto sat up and stared into Boru's face. It was important that he get an honest answer. 

"It means that we're family now, Naruto," Boru laid a hand on the boy's cheek. "I lost my family a while ago in this war. Almost everyone died, including my little sister. But with you, Naruto, I could have a second chance. What do you say?" Now Boru's eyes looked shiny with unshed tears. 

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Yeah, dattebayo!"

\---

Boruto POV

That night, Boruto watched over his boy-father as the child slept from his perch on the edge of the small bed. He couldn't believe that hatred and fear that he saw that woman's eyes todays and towards a defenseless child. 

He had lost so much and had come to the past to fix some of the wrongs. He had come back several years too far, but he was determined to make the most of it. Starting with his father, Naruto. 

When he first saw the boy, the couldn't believe that such a small, naive child was allowed to live on his own and invite strangers to live with him! Sure the stranger was his son from the future but Boruto could have been anyone! Then, he realized that his boy-father lived in a desperate situation--barely enough money, in a bad neighborhood with prostitutes right around the corner, and scared of doing simple homework. He made a tight fist with his hand. If he could only found out who had made these decisions to keep the boy living like this!

Now, that he was here with Naruto, he was determined that the boy have a proper childhood. He always knew that his father had to prove himself to the village and was once despised, but he never realized the reality of the hatred and fear these villagers had towards him and Kurama, the Kyubi.

Nobody would separate him from this boy. Nobody.

\---

A few days later, Boru managed to find another place where the landlord didn't care about who lived there as long as they paid on time. That was the 6th place Boru had looked into. 

Naruto didn't care about any of that as he placed his few belongings into plain brown boxes. He was going to live with Boru! Their new place had 2 bedrooms, 1 bathrooms, a nice kitchen, and a living room. It was a little far from the school, but Boru insisted that it would be great exercise for a future ninja. Naruto felt his cheeks warm to hear his idol think that he could make it to ninjahood. 

"Naruto, did you finish packing?" Boru called from the bathroom where he was shaving. 

"Hai!" Naruto closed the box and scrawled his name in large, blocky letters on its side. 

"Excuse me?"

Naruto turned towards the open door, an ANBU ninja was waiting on the doorway. Boru left the door open as they piled boxes outside to take to the new place. 

"Hai?" Naruto dropped his black marker and stood up nervously. He suddenly knew that he wasn't going anywhere. 

"Do you need something?" Boru came to stand in front of the boy, wiping some of the soap off his face with a towel draped over his shoulder. 

"Uzamaki Naruto and Boru-san?" The ANBU asked behind his expressionless mask. 

"Yes, who is asking?" Boru tensed. 

"Lord Third."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience, kudos, and reviews! They really motivate me to keep writing. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter. I've taken liberties with some of the characters and the setting of the story.
> 
> Also, I don't have a beta.

The ANBU led Naruto and Boru to the principle building where the Hokage conducted his affairs. Boru had grabbed hold of the boy's hand and didn't let go at any time during the trip, even when they had to run to keep up with the ANBU. The man had simple carried Naruto when he couldn't keep up. 

Even though he was slightly out of breath, Naruto looked around in amazement at the building. It was so large, the largest building in the village, and floor was made of a forieign, shiny material. He was sure that no one from his school ever came here, outside of field trips, and they never went to the private office of the Hokage! That's where the ANBU led him, too. He stationed himself by the door, his dark eyes never leaving Boru. 

"You may enter. Lord Third is ready to see you." 

Boru nodded and kneeled in front of Naruto. "I'm going to go in, ok? Wait for me right here." After receiving a nod, Boru stood up and opened the door to the Hokage's office. 

When the doors closed quietly behind Boru, Naruto let out a breath that he hadn't realized he was holding. He looked around the grand hall, hoping to find something something to do while he waited. What could the Hokage have to tell Boru? Naruto barely knew the old man Hokage, only from whenever he visited the school to motivate the young ninjas. 

Naruto's blue eyes landed on the ANBU, who stared straight ahead. 

"Hey, Mister?" 

No answer. Not even a twitch.

"Hey, Mister? I'm bored, can we play a game?"

No response. Naruto hated to be ignored. Luckily, he had experience with these situations. 

He waited a few minutes before groaning, "Mister! Mister! I have to go use the toilet." He clutched his stomach.

A twitch from the man's shoulders. "I get like this when I'm nervous! I think I have to number 2! It's going to bad, really bad!"

The man turned his head to look at Naruto with a disgusted look. The boy turned his face and made a loud farting noise as he bent over his stomach. "I think it's too late, Mister! Do you have any clean pants?"

"Naruto, what's going on?" Boru's stern voice broke through the boy's theatrics.

Naruto immediately straightened. "Nothing, Boru-san!" He smirked when he saw that the ANBU was slightly huddled on the wall farthest away from Naruto. When he saw Boru, the man straightened up as well. 

"The Hokage wants to see you, so cut out the silly stuff." Boru crossed his arms.

Naruto's eyes widened, and he pulled on his clothes, hoping that he was presentable. Boru opened the door for him and closed it when Naruto had stepped inside. 

"Wait, Boru--!" He couldn't open the door again without looking like a total baby in front of the ANBU, Boru, and the Hokage.

"Uzamaki Naruto," a gentle voice called from the other side of the room. 

Naruto turned around and walked slowly into the office. It was nice. Somehow, it wasn't as grand the hall and had a more homey feel to it with all the plants standing around. The Hokage's desk was neat and organized and calm dark eyes watched Naruto.

"I see you have found yourself a guardian," Lord Third began. 

Naruto nodded. "Yes, sir."

"And that you found him in an alley? Can you tell me about that?" 

So, Naruto retold the story about how he found Boru. He omitted the parts about him thinking that Boru was drunk because Ichiraku-san and Boru didn't seem to like it when he mentioned that. 

"Has this man done anything to hurt you or touched you in an inappropriate manner?" The Hokage leaned closer to Naruto.

Naruto shook his head frantically. 

"Do you want to continue living with this man?"

Naruto didn't like how the Hokage said "this man." As if Boru was some fraud.

"Yes, I want to live with Boru." Naruto said as clearly as he could. The boy didn't know why he added the last part. "And for some reason, he wants to live with me."

At those innocent words, the Hokage's face crumbled. The man sat back in his chair and looked, for a moment, every one of his significant years. "I'm so sorry, my boy. To treat you this way when you should be treated better than my own grandchildren."

The blond boy frowned in puzzlement. The Hokage's grandchildren were the darlings of the Hidden Leaf because they were the Hokage's grandchildren. Everyone had an indulgent smile for them, and he had seen the teachers at school refuse to yell at one of the younger ones, even though had made a mess during recess. Why would anyone treat an orphaned, dead-last like that?

The Hokage continued. "Maybe this Boru had a point. To protect you, I have chosen to sacrifice too much. Alright, I'll let you live with this guardian for a trial period. We will come back here in a month to see how you are doing. Bring up those grade, child!" The Hokage's face eased back into a kind smile. 

Naruto nodded eagerly. "So that means that I can move in with Boru?"

Lord Third shook his head. "The apartment is much too far from the city center. We have to make sure you are safe and anyone of the guards can reach you at a moment's notice. I have... spoken to another apartment building owner. You and Boru will live there. Rent free."

"Wow! Thank you, Lord Third!" Naruto bowed and ran to the door. Boru should be happy with the free rent since he had been complaining about the high fees in the place they had chosen. 

But the Boru he saw in the grand hallway didn't look happy or relieved, instead he seemed stressed and agitated. "Everything ok?" He asked tightly with his jaws clenched.

Naruto nodded slowly. "Free rent?" He offered, almost shyly.

Boru sighed and rubbed his face. "I guess that's something. Hopefully, it's not another crappy place. Let's go, gaki."

The ANBU guard glared at Naruto as he walked by. The boy smiled. 

"Should we unpack or keep the boxes?" Naruto said as he ran up to Boru. 

"Let's not even think about that right now. Let's... train!" Boru finally had a smile on his face. 

"You know how to fight, secretary Boru?" Naruto said in false shock. 

Boru grabbed the small boy and rubbed his head with his knuckles. "I'll show you what I can do!"

In the local park, Naruto and Boru trained. Boru decided to work on dodging. How can you anticipate your opponent's movements and give yourself a head start? Naruto drifted off when he started explaining something about muscles and tells because Boru started to sound like his fitness instructor. He wondered about the new place. What if Boru hated it and resented having to live there because of Naruto? He snapped back to the present when Boru lightly jammed a fist in his stomach. 

"Ow! Teme!" Naruto growled from his new spot on the grassy ground. 

"You could have easily dodged that. Pay attention," Boru said in his stern, I-am-an-adult tone. 

So, Boru and Naruto trained, this time with Naruto paying attention to the man's movements and tells. Naruto decided that training with Boru was much better than any game his fitness teacher could up with. He didn't notice it was past lunch time until his stomach growled loudly.

"I guess, we should stop," Boru smiled fondly when he heard the sound. 

"Yeah, but I'm getting stronger, dattebayo?!" The boy still had energy to jump around Boru as the man retrieved his jacket from a nearby bench. 

"Of course! You were dodging almost all of my attacks towards the end."

"He only dodged half of them." A young voice said from the shadows of the trees.

"What?" Boru blinked into the dark area. 

The blond narrowed his eyes. He knew that voice. Sure enough, he recognized the form that emerged from behind the large tree. "Sasuke! What are you doing here?"

The dark haired boy shrugged. "I was also training when I heard your pathetic efforts at dodging. I counted how many dodges you did. You only did half. Barely." 

"No, I didn't! I dodged more than half. Right, Boru?" Naruto glanced over at Boru to see that he was looking at Sasuke with a ... starstruck expression? "Boru-teme!"

Boru shook himself and cleared his throat. "Sorry, I just can't believe that it's really you, Sasuke-san, I mean, Sasuke-kun because you're younger than me, right now. I'm just happy to see you!" Boru gave Sasuke a large smile. 

Naruto scowled. Everyone is always happy to see Sasuke, and the bastard has the audacity to look cool about it. Like it's no big deal that Naruto's Boru is happy to see him. 

"Get lost, Sasuke. I'm here with my fa-, uh, person."

"And you disrupted my training with your ineptitude." Sasuke said slowly.

With his fists raised, Naruto said," I don't know what that means, but I can show you what I've just learned! We'll see who dodges the most fists."

"I always win at dodgeball," Sasuke replied in a bored tone, walking closer. "That's why we stopped playing."

"Ok, ok, let's stop fighting," Boru held up his hands. "Naruto, you're being kind of rude, Sasuke just came to see what we were doing."

Naruto crossed his arms and pouted. He saw Sasuke smirk. 

"Sasuke, we're getting ready to leave and make some lunch. You want to join us?" Boru asked.

Naruto dropped his arms and gapped at his guardian. "Nani?!"

"Ok," Sasuke shrugged and took a few more steps closer to the pair. 

"Excellent. Let's run there for additional practice." Boru smiled at the 2 boys, then took off. 

Of course, Sasuke managed to make it there before Naruto. The blond had just been training, afterall, for hours and Sasuke had probably lied about training by himself. Naruto grumbled as he entered his apartment and saw Boru showing Sasuke around the tiny place. 

"We're moving soon, so that's why it's such a mess. Are dumplings ok, Sasuke, for lunch?" 

"Hai," Sasuke replied as he poked at a box labeled Naruto.

"Some things don't change," Boru smiled as he took out the dumplings he had made the night more. He'd known that they would be too tired to cook today, and he refused to buy more ramen.

"Hey!" Naruto moved his box away from Sasuke's hands when the boy poked at it again. 

"You did your math homework?" Sasuke moved to the open notebook on Naruto's bed. He'd been working on it this morning before Boru told him to continue packing. "3 and 5 are wrong. You mixed up the signs."

Naruto slammed his notebook closed. Sasuke shrugged and sat down the floor. Naruto sat next to him with his notebook on his lap. Trying to look cool, he fixed problems 3 and 5 without looking at the other boy. When he was finished, he put his notebook away in his bookbag and sat quietly on the floor. Sasuke seemed lost in thought, but he didn't make a sound and sat completely still. Naruto was just as successful for ... 30 seconds. He had to move his legs, then his arms, then he sighed, and looked around the room and felt happy and sad that he was leaving his small apartment. 

"Boys, lunch is ready!"

Naruto jumped up. "Finally!"

"It only took him 10 minutes," Sasuke declared as he followed the blond to the small table in the kitchen. 

As they ate lunch, Naruto and Boru kept up the conversation. Saskuke "hmmed" or nodded at occasional intervals, but he said very little. Naruto remembered that Sasuke spoke very little at school. He frowned. He thought about all that he had heard Sasuke say today. That was most he had heard the other boy say since... ever.

"Sasuke, thanks for joining us today," Boru didn't show if Sasuke's lack of verbal response bothered him. The boy only shrugged. 

"Naruto, why don't you and Sasuke do whatever young boys your age do. I have to run some errands," Boru stood up and cleared the plates. 

"But Boru, I want to go!" Naruto whined. He really didn't want to, but he didn't want to be in Sasuke's company even more.

"Whenever my Mom told me to play with my friends, I was out the door faster than a bullet train!" 

"What's a bullet train?" Sasuke asked, his black eyes boring into Boru. 

The man laughed nervously. "I mean- it's a foreign expression."

"I found Boru-teme drunk in an alley. He doesn't remember where he's from," Naruto told Sasuke with a grin.

"I was not drunk! Anyways, go. Now," Boru practically forced Naruto out of his own apartment. 

"Not fair! Doesn't he know that we aren't friends?" Naruto rolled his eyes at the closed door. 

"Naruto, follow me," Sasuke ran down the stairs and disappeared around a corner. 

"Hey, wait up, dattebayo!" Naruto ran after him. They ran for what seemed like hours, though, Naruto had a terrible sense of time. He thought about stopping and demanding that the other boy explain himself. He knew that Sasuke would just leave him behind if he stopped. He pushed himself harder to catch up with the dark haired boy, but he was always behind him. Sasuke finally stopped in front of a large, stone gate. 

"Where-where are we?" Naruto panted. He gapped at the name on the gate, Uchiha. He gulped nervously. He had heard that Sasuke's brother had killed everyone in Sasuke's family, except for Sasuke himself, as they slept in their beds. He also heard that their spirits still roamed the estate, seeking revenge. 

Luckily, instead of going inside, Sasuke led Naruto around the estate gates to a small door in the ground. The trap door was hidden was some leaves, which Sasuke kicked out of the way. He took out a key and opened the lock. He gestured for Naruto to follow him inside. Curious, he did. 

It was a small room. It had a little bed, a desk, a bookcase, and a small table. He spotted Sasuke's bookbag on the floor, near his shoes. He saw a couple of closed door that could have led to a bathroom or a closet. It was smaller than his own apartment. 

"Why did you bring me all the way here?" Naruto asked. "And why do you sleep here and not in your house?"

Sasuke ignored the second question. "I wanted to make sure no one was listening to our conversation. I discovered something about your person."

"What?"

"He's a time traveler."


End file.
